ARCHITECTURAL SITE PLANNING

SITE PLANNING varies radically in soils and usually imposes a limitation to any
building structure. Organic matter is important only for soil
KEVIN LYNCH Defined it as “The Art Of Arranging Structures On The
fertility, moisture absorption and retention and for landscaping
Land & Shaping The Spaces Between; An Art Linked To AR, Engg.,
Landscape AR And City Planning.”
c) WATER content varies with particle sizes, local drainage,
topography and climate. Most water occupies the spaces
HARVEY M. RUBENSTEIN defines it as “The Art & Science of Arranging
between particles; only in organic soils do the particles
the Uses of Portions of Land (…)”
themselves actually absorb measurable amounts of water
SITE ANALYSIS involves the study of the site in terms of the following:
d) AIR is what occupies remaining space that is not occupied by
NATURAL FACTORS water. In layers where groundwater is formed by gravity water
in the subsoil and underlying rock, there is absence of air
1) Geology
2) Geomorphology – Physiography, Landforms, Soils, Drainage,
BEARING CAPACITY FOR ROCK AND SOIL MATERIALS
Topography & Slopes, & Soil Erosion
3) Hydrology – Surface & Ground Water ALLOWABLE
4) Vegetation – Plant Ecology CLASS MATERIAL BEARING
VALUE (psf)
5) Wildlife – Habitats
Massive Crystalline
6) Climate – Solar Orientation, Wind, & Humidity 1 Bedrock, E.G. Granite, 200,000
R Gneiss
CULTURAL FACTORS O
Metamorphosed Rock,
2 C 80,000
1) Existing Land Use – Ownership Of Adjacent Property, E.G. Schist, Slate
K
Off-Site Nuisances Sedimentary Rocks,
3 30,000
2) Traffic & Transit – Vehicular & Pedestrian Circulation On E.G. Shale, Sandstone
Or Adjacent To Site Well Compacted
4 20,000
3) Density & Zoning – Legal & Regulatory Controls Gravels And Sands
S Compact Gravel,
4) Socio–Economic Factors 5 12,000
O Sand/Gravel Mixtures
5) Utilities – Sanitary, Storm-Water, Water & Power Supply, & Loose Gravel, Compact
6 I `8,000
Communications Coarse Sand
L
6) Historic Factors – Historic Bldgs, Landmarks, & Archeology M Loose Coarse Sand;
A Loose Sand/Gravel
7 6,000
AESTHETIC FACTORS T Mixtures, Compact Fine
1) Natural Features E Sand, Wet Coarse Sand
2) Spatial Patterns – Spaces & Sequences R Loose Fine Sand, Wet
8 4,000
I Fine Sand
3) Visual Resources – Views & Vistas
9 A Stiff Clay (Dry) 8,000
10 L Medium-Stiff Clay 4,000
THE NATURAL FACTORS S
11 Soft Clay 2,000
GEOLOGY is the Natural Science That Studies the Earth – Its Fill, Organic Material, Or Fixed By
Composition; The Processes That Shaped Its Surface; & Its History 12
Silt Field Tests

⮚ IGNEOUS ROCKS – produced by crystallization from a liquid

2)
⮚ SEDIMENTARY ROCKS – when igneous rocks are exposed to
surface & weathering reduces them to particles, these particles are
moved by erosional process & deposited in layers into rivers &
oceans
TEXTURE – term used to describe the composite sizes of particles
in a soil sample; There are 12 basic terms for texture, at the center
of which is Class LOAM; which is an intermediate mixture of 40%
sand, 40% silt & 20% clay

⮚ METAMORPHOSED ROCKS – when sedimentary rocks are pushed

to deeper levels of the earth, they transform into metamorphosed
rocks due to changes in pressure and temperature

GEOMORPHOLOGY – branch of Geology that deals with the origin,

nature & distribution of landforms

⮚ PHYSIOGRAPHY – The Description of Landforms

⮚ LANDFORMS – Irregularities on the Earth’s Surface; Derived From
Volcanic, Glacial, or Erosional Processes

SOIL PROPERTIES – Composition & Texture

1) COMPOSITION – Refers To The Material That Makes Up Soil:
Organic Matter, Mineral Particles, Water, & Air
a) MINERAL PARTICLES – comprise 50% to 80% of the volume
of the soil & form the all important skeletal structure of the
soil
⮚ Sand & Gravel Particles provide for the greatest stability,
usually yield a relatively high bearing capacity
⮚ BEARING CAPACITY is a soil’s resistance to penetration
from a weighted object such as a building foundation
GOOD DRAINAGE – refers to the soil’s ability to transfer gravity water
downward through
1) INFILTRATION – the rate at which water penetrates the soil surface
(usually measured in cm or inches per hour)
2) PERMEABILITY – the rate at which water within the soil moves
through a given volume of material
(also measured in cm or inches per hour)

b) ORGANIC MATTER 3) PERCOLATION – the rate at which water in a soil pit or pipe within
the soil is taken up by the soil (used mainly in wastewater
absorption tests and measured in inches per hour)

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POOR DRAINAGE – means that gravity water is not readily transmitted
by the soil & soil is frequently or permanently saturated & may have water
standing on it caused by:
⮚ The local accumulation of water
⮚ A rise in the level of groundwater within the soil column
⮚ The size of the particles in the soil being too small to transmit
infiltration water
TOPOGRAPHY & SLOPES
SLOPE ANALYSIS – Understanding slope forms expressed
graphically in a slope profile, a silhouette of a slope
drawn to known proportions with distance on the
horizontal axis & elevation on the vertical axis
ANGLE OF REPOSE – angle at w/c soil can be safely inclined &
beyond which it will fail
TOPOGRAPHIC MAP – a map of a portion of the earth that describes
the shape of the earth’s surface by contour lines
CONTOURS
⮚ imaginary lines that join points of equal elevation on the surface
of the land above or below a reference surface
⮚ the distances for each Slope Pattern are computed from the
given topographic map, for use on the Slope Map. To compute
the Distance of a slope from a topographic contour map
D Distance = (Contour Interval / % of Slope) x 100
DESIRABLE SLOPES – when slopes are selected according to
building type & the activities associated with it
⮚ Flat or gently sloping sites are preferred for industrial &
commercial buildings
⮚ Hilly sites are preferred for fashionable suburban residences
⮚ Slopes influence the alignment of modern roads according to
class of roads; the higher the class, the lower the maximum
grades allowable.
SOIL EROSION – when rocks are broken down (weathered) into small
fragments, & carried by wind, water, ice & gravity. Energy for this process
is solar & gravitational
PREVENTION – Four Factors In Forecasting Erosion Rates:
a) VEGETATION
⮚ Foliage intercepts raindrops
⮚ Organic litter on the ground reduces impact of raindrops
⮚ Roots bind together aggregates of soil particles
⮚ Cover density, in form of ground cover or tree canopy,
decreases soil loss to runoff
b) SOIL TYPE
⮚ Intermediate textures like sand
will usually yield (erode) first
⮚ high velocities to move masses of pebbles & particles
larger than those of sand
c) SLOPE SIZE & INCLINATION
⮚ The velocity of runoff is closely related to the slope of the
ground over which it flows.
⮚ Slope influences the quantity of runoff since long slopes
collect more rainfall and thus generate a larger volume of
runoff.
d) FREQUENCY & INTENSITY OF RAINFALL
⮚ Intensive rainfalls produced by thunderstorms promote the
highest rates of erosion.
HYDROLOGY – the natural science that studies the Waters of the Earth,
their occurrence, circulation & distribution, their chemical & physical
properties, & their reaction to the living environment including their
relation to all living things
HYDROLOGIC CYCLE – or the planet’s water cycle, described by
the movement of water from the oceans to the
atmosphere to the continents & back to the sea
ARCHITECTURAL SITE PLANNING
WATER TABLE – is the upper boundary of the zone of
groundwater; the top of unconfined aquifer
AQUIFER – A permeable geological stratum or formation that can
both store & transmit groundwater in significant quantities.
WATERSHED – a geographic area of land bounded by topographic
features & height of land that captures precipitation, filters &
stores water & drains waters to a shared destination
VEGETATION – Plant Mat’ls in site planning is in their role in:
1.) CLIMATIC CONTROL
SOLAR RADIATION – is Earth’s source of light and heat. It warms
the earth’s surface, is reflected by paving and other objects, and
produces glare. Trees are one of the best controls for solar radiation
because:
⮚ They Block Or Filter Sunlight
⮚ Cool Air Under Their Canopies Providing Natural Air-Con
WIND
Helps to control temperature. Trees help to buffer winds in urban
areas caused by convection & VENTURI EFFECTS
PRECIPITATION – Plants help to control precipitation reaching the
ground; they aid in moisture retention, and prevention of soil erosion
2.) ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
AIR PURIFICATION – Plants clean air via photosynthesis. Trees also
help filter out other pollutants, i.e. sulfur dioxide, dust, pollen, and
smoke.
NOISE – Sound energy usually spreads out & dissipates in
transmission. Sound waves can be absorbed, reflected or deflected.
⮚ Plants absorb sound waves especially thick fleshy leaves
⮚ Tree trunks deflect sounds and it has been estimated that
a 100 ft. depth of forest can reduce sound by 21 decibels
GLARE & REFLECTION – A light source received directly produces
primary glare while reflected light is secondary glare. Plants filter or
block glare.
EROSION CONTROL – Plants prevent erosion from stormwater
runoff & of controlling erosion during construction. Erosion is also
minimized by the plants action of intercepting rain, decreasing splash,
& increased water absorption.
⮚ Vegetation w/ extensive root systems imparts stability to slopes.
⮚ On sandy slopes, the presence of woody vegetation can
increase the angle of repose by 10 to 15 degrees.
3.) ARCHITECTURAL & AESTHETIC USES
SPACE DEFINITION
⮚ Plants as wall elements to form outdoor spaces
⮚ Plants as canopies to provide shade; or
⮚ Plants as ground covers to provide color & texture on the
base plane
VIEW CONTROL – Trees & Shrubs can screen out
objectionable views & provide backdrops for sculpture &
fountains; Can provide filtered views of bldgs or spaces, or
frame a view, maximizing its effect
MOOD – Plants affects peoples’ moods
WILDLIFE – Relates closely to habitats provided by plant communities.
The three groups of habitat elements essential to the different species of
wildlife are:
1.) OPENLAND WILDLIFE – Includes Birds & Mammals Commonly
Associated With Crop Fields, Meadows, Pastures, & Non-Forested
Lands. Habitat Elements Essential For Openland Wildlife Include:
⮚ Grain & Seed Crops; Grasses & Legumes
⮚ Wild Herbaceous Upland Plants
⮚ Hardwood Woody Plants
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 ARCHITECTURAL SITE PLANNING
2.) WOODLAND WILDLIFE – Species Need Various Combinations of:
⮚ Grasses & Legumes; Wild Herbaceous Upland Plants
⮚ Hardwood Woody Plants; Cone-Bearing Shrubs Such As Pines

3.) WETLAND WILDLIFE – Birds & Mammals Need Habitats With:

⮚ Streams; Wetland Food Plants Or Wild Herbaceous Plants
⮚ Shallow Water; Water Impoundments Not Deeper Than 5 Ft.
⮚ Excavated Ponds At Least One Acre And Average 6ft Depth

CLIMATE – can be generally classified into four types:

Cold, Temperate, Hot Arid & Hot Humid
In each, a site should be investigated in terms of:
a) Solar Orientation For Buildings
Best Facing Slopes:
⮚ Temperatures vary with elevation
by about 3 deg for every 1000 ft. (300m) in the daytime
⮚ The more perpendicular a slope is to the rays of the sun,
the warmer the surface temperature

b) The Best Facing Slopes

⮚ Wind Flows; Abrupt Forms Cause Unpleasant Air Turbulence

c) Wind Flows For Breezes

PASSIVE COOLING – the technology of cooling spaces through

proper siting of structure & use of energy-efficient materials, with the
objective of energy conservation

THE CULTURAL FACTORS

1) EXISTING LAND USE – Land Use Plans are available in each city &
municipality to determine the areas for commercial, institutional,
industrial, residential, & open space uses

2) TRAFFIC & TRANSIT SYSTEMS – Site Traffic Pattern Must Be

Studied For Adequacy of Access & Efficiency of Circulation Within &
Outside of the Site

3) DENSITY & ZONING

DENSITY refers to the population per unit land area; expressed in
number of families or dwelling units per hectare. It may also be
expressed in Floor Area Ratio (FAR); Zoning regulations, laws and
codes are present in every city & municipality to regulate the type of
development.

4) SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
The study of the community and its social & economic structures are
done to determine whether there is a need, an interest, or any
objections on the project

5) UTILITIES / SERVICES
It is important to determine the existing availability of utilities on site
in terms of adequacy and efficiency. This includes:
Sanitary/sewage system; Electric power & Water supply; Drainage

6) HISTORIC FACTORS
a) Historic Buildings
b) Historic Landmarks
c) Archeology

THE AESTHETIC FACTORS

1) NATURAL FEATURES – may be incorporated in the site
development as natural assets of the land

2) SPATIAL PATTERNS – the way an open space of a given site is

configured according to an arrangement of elements that evoke
activity or flow, both physically or visually

3) VISUAL RESOURCES
⮚ VIEW – is a scene observed from a vantage point
⮚ VISTA – is a confined view, usually directed toward a terminal
or dominant feature. It has three components: a viewing station,
a view, and a foreground.

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